Tuesday, March 19, 2024
HomeNuggetsThe VV View: Erik Zabel Second Confession Met with UCI Silence

The VV View: Erik Zabel Second Confession Met with UCI Silence

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Erik Zabel
Erik Zabel tearfully admits to a lot more PED use than the did last time. Photo©DPA.

Erik Zabel has confessed… On the one hand we don’t think that disinterring the dead is the way forward; the French Senate mass exhumation was a pointless exercise as far as we’re concerned. But once you have a Zabelombie walking the streets you have deal with it.

As I recall from George A. Romero’s classic ’78 movie – ‘Zombies, Dawn of the Dead’ you have to part the head from the body, shoot it in the head or at last poke a long screw driver through the ‘lug-hole’ (messy).

But do we see a rush from the UCI to comment on the latest gore fest and efforts to contain the virus – originally returned on a space probe from Venus, if I remember correctly?

Or was it a laboratory in California?

No chance, they probably figure that the Media is ‘dopered out’ after Le Tour and all those barbed questions they fired at Chris Froome?

Probably – and who the heck is Erik Zabel, anyway – did ever beat Cav?

No… well then!

But surely the UCI should be commenting on Zabel’s confession?

They should be reinforcing the point that cycling has changed (we hope and think) and that the sport is doing more than any other to eliminate the problem.

And even his young compatriots Degenkolb and Kittel who once viewed him as hero now openly criticise him and say he should face criminal charges.

And it would do no harm to point out that now that other sports are starting to demonstrate the will to ‘clean up,’ the ‘positives’ are there for all to see.

Those nice Jamaican runners – such good laughs…

But there’s only silence from Aigle.

Erik Zabel has confessed... On the one hand we don’t think that disinterring the dead is the way forward; the French Senate mass exhumation was a pointless exercise as far as we’re concerned. But once you have a Zabelombie walking the streets you have deal with it.
It’s almost universally agreed that McQuaid isn’t the right person for the role of President anymore, but ousting him may not be straightforward.

Brian Cookson and Pat McQuaid are playing poker; they know that if they’re the first to show their hand and comment on the French Senate’s depth charge in the cesspit then the other will seize upon it and distort it to suit their end.

Mr. Cookson grabbed a half page in Monday’s Guardian about why there should be a women’s Tour de France.

Cookson said ‘it was important to understand why women’s teams and races had struggled to attract backing in the past in order to move forward.

But of course he doesn’t give us those reasons, it continues; ‘We must also work on rewarding the efforts of elite women riders by guaranteeing a minimum wage and ensuring modern employment standards are introduced for top level teams.

Coupling this with the wider development proposals I outlined in my election manifesto will begin to change the essential economics of women’s cycling.

Sport is a business, Peter Keen and David Brailsford revolutionised British cycling when they began to apply business principles.

Have a game plan, hire the best specialists, let them do their job and give the athletes to the tools to do their job – whether that be the best bikes, clothing, training facilities or having a few quid in their pocket to pay the bills.

Business is driven by Market Forces; you can’t just make the statement; ‘there should be a ladies’ Tour de France!’

Why?

Does the Market want one?

Where’s the money going to come from, who’ll want to sponsor it and what’s in it for them?

There’s no female Formula One or Moto GP – it doesn’t necessarily follow that there should be a female Tour ‘just because there should be.’

And as for ‘minimum wages’ presumably in a world of equal opportunity that will have to apply to male Continental team, too?

It’s also a certainty that the minute the UCI applied a minimum wage to ladies’ teams, half of them would fold – they couldn’t afford to pay it.

Erik Zabel
Mr. Cookson grabbed a half page in Monday’s Guardian about why there should be a women’s Tour de France.

If I was the Tour de France I’d be asking Mr. Cookson how he can have the brass neck to ask for such a thing when his nation supports just one UCI ladies’ team.

I ranted on this the other day and repeat – the UCI’s number one priority should be to restore the sport’s credibility.

Ladies’ Tours de France and Mondialisation are not the priority.

We’re not ‘anti’ ladies’ cycling but we wouldn’t be doing what we set out to do when we set this site up if we sat by and listen to patent political poppycock being pedalled.

And having opened on the subject of dead people walking…

I’ll believe that ‘Our Pat’ is dead as UCI Boss when I see the words carved on his headstone.

How remise of us to forget that he’s a member of the Moroccan Federation – why wouldn’t he be?

Here at VeloVeritas we’re considering an Icelandic Cycling Federation licence application…

I don’t know the answer as to how to sort out the current UCI messes out – and I suppose it’s naive to think that love of the sport should come before the human condition’s constant craving for power – but we have a governing body which is not serving the best interests of our wonderful sport.

Nor does this look likely to change any time soon.

Ed Hood
Ed Hood
Ed's been involved in cycling for over 50 years. In that time he's been a successful time triallist, a team manager and a sponsor of several teams and clubs. He's also a respected and successful coach and during the winter months was often working in the cabins at the Six Days for some of the world's top riders. Ed remains a massive fan of the sport and couples his extensive contacts with an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the minutiae and the history of our sport. In February 2023 however, our dear friend and beloved colleague Ed suffered a devastating stroke and faces an uncertain future; Ed has lost his ability to speak, to read, and has lost movement on the right side of his body. He's working with speech and physical therapists on rehabilitation, but all strokes are different and each patient responds differently, so unfortunately recovery is one day at a time. Ed ran his own business installing windows, and will probably not be able to work again. Please consider joining us to make a contribution to Ed's GoFundMe page to help stabilise and secure his future.